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New methods of synthesis and varied properties of carbon quantum dots with high nitrogen content

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2013

Sunita Dey ,
Pallellappa Chithaiah ,
Sunita Belawadi ,
Kanishka Biswas  and
C.N.R. Rao
Sunita Dey
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), and CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064, India
Pallellappa Chithaiah
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), and CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064, India
Sunita Belawadi
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), and CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064, India
Kanishka Biswas
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), and CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064, India
C.N.R. Rao*
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), and CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore-560 064, India
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: cnrrao@jncasr.ac.in
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Abstract

Doping of a heteroatom such as nitrogen in carbon nanomaterials provides a means to tailor their electronic properties and chemical reactivities. In this article, we present simple methods to synthesize carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high nitrogen doping content (18–22%), involving the reaction of glucose in the presence of urea under hydrothermal conditions or by microwave irradiation. The N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) show high aqueous solubility and tunable photoluminescence (PL). Interaction of N-CQDs with exfoliated graphene or dimethylaniline quenches PL. Interaction of N-doped as well as undoped C-dots with electron-donating tetrathiafulvalene and electron-withdrawing tetracyanoethylene has been examined. The intense blue PL of CQDs has been exploited to produce white light by mixing the CQDs with yellow light emitting ZnO nanoparticles or graphene oxide. The N-doped CQDs exhibit superior photocatalytic activity compared to pristine CQDs.

Keywords

carbon quantum dotsenergy transferphotocatalysisphotoluminescencequenchingwhite light
Type
Invited Papers
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 3: Focus Issue: Graphene and Beyond , 14 February 2014 , pp. 383 - 391
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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